Forestry Technician (Lookout)

Forest Service • Adin, CA

4d • Onsite

About The Position

This position is located within a National Forest and provides fire detection services to district fire suppression personnel. The Forestry Technician works from a lookout station, observing smoke, weather, lightning strikes, and fire conditions; communicating relevant information to dispatch, fire suppression personnel, and aircraft; and supporting fire prevention activities. The role also includes maintaining lookout equipment and grounds, keeping records, operating radio communications, serving as a contact for visitors, and processing documents and data. The position is temporary, with an appointment of up to six months or, in some cases, a not-to-exceed one year. The position is not eligible for telework, and the employee must be willing to live and work in remote locations that may be volatile or unpredictable.

Requirements

• Be a U.S. Citizen or U.S. National.
• Be at least 18 years of age.
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check.
• Meet applicable Selective Service registration requirements if a male born after December 31, 1959, unless exempt.
• Pass satisfactory adjudication of a background investigation and/or fingerprint check.
• Meet the GS-05 qualification requirement through one of the stated pathways: one year of specialized experience equivalent to at least GS-04; a bachelor's degree or four years of successfully completed education above high school in a qualifying field or with the specified coursework; or a combination of qualifying education and specialized experience.
• For education-based qualification, provide transcripts; course descriptions may be required. Education must be from an accredited college or university.
• Willingness to live and work in remote locations that may be volatile or unpredictable.
• Provide required updated application documents and meet qualification requirements by the announcement closing date.
• Federal employees must receive payments by direct deposit.

Responsibilities

• Use fire finders, a compass, binoculars, protractors, and geographic maps to locate smoke; estimate its distance and the probable size and characteristics of fires.
• Plot fire locations using specialized equipment and report azimuth, distance, location, smoke volume, color, behavior, and other relevant information by radio.
• Continue observing areas and report significant changes, including changes in smoke, wind, and other fire conditions, to dispatch.
• Use weather instruments to evaluate changing conditions and interpret fire weather data, advising fire suppression personnel of relevant changes.
• Use radio communications to warn personnel responding to fires about changes that may affect them.
• Observe ground lightning strikes, report resulting fires, and record storm paths to support monitoring for holdover fires.
• Record and report daily weather observations and maintain photo records and log books identifying smoke plume sources and durations.
• Make minor adjustments to and maintain lookout equipment; keep the station and grounds neat and orderly.
• Operate a radio communications center connecting lookout stations, agencies, and interagency dispatch centers; receive and relay information about weather forecasts, fire hazards, emergencies, accidents, and work crew and personnel locations.
• Communicate known lightning strike and fire locations to aircraft during reconnaissance activities.
• Serve as a key contact at a lookout station visited by many people during fire season.
• Promote fire prevention by explaining laws, policies, regulations, prevention methods, procedures, and fire hazard conditions to visitors.
• Patrol the district one day per week, maintain and replace prevention signs as needed, issue campfire permits, and explain state and federal laws to visitors.
• Review documents and reports for completeness, enter relevant information into an automated tracking system, conduct database searches, and process documents and reports according to established procedures.

Benefits

• A federal employee benefits package is available; eligibility depends on position type and whether the position is full-time, part-time, or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for details on specific benefits.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level